Sheet-feeder



2 Shee'ts-Shee l Ulm m HHHNHII SHEET FEEDER C. W. HARROLD Filed Nov. 19,1950 Aug. 1`, 1933.

Snom/woz CHHR/ Es W HQRROLD Aug. 1, 1933. c. w. HARRQLD 1,920,388

SHEET FEEDER Filed Nov. 19. 195o 2 sheets-sheet 2 wvemboz @fm/Es WHWKOLD Patented Aug. 1, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHEET-FEEDERApplication November 19, 1930 Serial No. 496,616

20 Claims.

My invention relates to sheet separating and advancing mechanisms forautomatic sheetfeeders, and more particularly to suction sheetseparatingdevices in front edge feeders especially when equipped for use in thepile sheetfeeders of the type shown in the U. S. Charles G. HarrisPatent No. 1,112,609 of October 6, 1914.

The objects of my invention are, among other things, to provide animproved and simplified front edge feeder of the suction type whichernbodies a series of oscillating suckers that engage and raise slightlythe front edge of the top sheet on a pile and draw same forwardly to thefeedrolls of the printing-press or other machine to which thesheet-feeder is attached. After the sheet has been seized by thefeed-rolls, the suckers are swung forwardly in unison and drop beneaththe plane of the advancing sheet and the sheet moves forwardly into thebite of a second p air of feed-rolls and is further advanced forwardlyinto the press. When the suckers are retracted to engage the next sheetthey pass below the rst sheet that is'being forwarded with the rst pairof feed-rolls lifted out of the way of the returning suckers.

With these and other objects in View, my invention comprises theconstructions and operating parts forming the sheet-feeder herein shownand hereinafter to be described as a preferred embodiment of myinvention which is also readily adapted to any form of pile-feeder andis not to be restricted to the type shown in the C. G. Harris Patent No.1,112,609 issued as aforesaid.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a top plan View of my improved feeder; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, the pile of paper 3 is supported on thestandards 4, and at each of the rear corners of the pile 3 is locatedthe combing buckler and sheet separating unit (only one being shown) asmore particularly shown and described in the C. G. Harris Patent No.1,112,609, comprising the combing buckler wheel 5 which is rotated tofrictionally engage the top portion of the pile 3 at its rear corners toproduce a series of traveling arcs or buckles in the topmost andsubjacent sheets, the sheets being held against bodily movement by theadjacent presser-foot 6. While the paper buckles are so held by thebuckler wheel 5 and presser-foot 6, the suction separator 7 is loweredto seize the topmost sheet 8, and is then raised with the sheet 8 afterwhich the REISSUED buckler wheel 5 is lifted (Fig. 2) and thepresserfoot 6 is thrown outwardly and then inwardly again to engage thepile 3 beneath the top sheet 8, and simultaneously blasts of air areprojected beneath the sheet 8 whereby it is winded from the pile 3 toallow my improved front edge feeder mechanisms to seize the top sheet 8and advance same forwardly (to the right in Fig. 2).

The side-frames 9 and 10 carry the rotatable cross-shaft 11 on which arefixed spaced-l part pulleys 12 around which pulleys 12 pass the loopedtravelling feed-tapes 13 that also encircle the forward series ofspaced-apart pulleys 14 mounted on the shaft 15 journalled in theside-frames 9 and 10. Coacting with pulleys 12 and tapes 13 are a likeseries of drop-rolls 16 pivoted on the arms 17 affixed to the rock-shaft18, and a similar set of drop-rolls 19 pivoted to the arms 20 which areaixed to the rock shaft 21 coact with the pulleys 14 and feed-tapes 13.The drop-rolls 16 and 19 are raised and lowered by the followingmechanism: Fastened to the shaft 18 is the rock-arm 59 connected by thelink 60 to the rockarm 6l affixed to the rock-shaft 21. Pinned to theextension 62 of one of the arms 20 is the link 63 pivoted to therock-lever 64 journalled on the stud and carrying the cam-roller 66 thatrides on the cam 67 affixed to the cam-shaft 46 by the force of thepull-spring 68. As the cam 67 revolves and the roller 66 ridesvout ofthe drop of the cam 67, the drop-rolls 16 are lowered to their dottedline position to engage the sheet while the drop-rolls 19 are raised.When the roller 66 enters the drop of the cam 67 a reverse complementarymovement of the rolls 16 and 19 takes place. In the drawings the rolls19 are shown to have a Areciprocating movement, but, if so desired, theymay serve as continuous advancing rolls always in Contact with the tapes13 as shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

The row of suction heads 22 (six being shown in Fig. 1) are similar instructure and operation and a description of one such head 22 willsuffice for al1. The head 22 is hollow and carries the usual rubbersucker lips 23 which engage and attach'themselves to the top sheets whenan exhaust or vacuum pressure exists in the head 22. The heads 22 aremounted on the ends of hollow arms 24 spaced between the pulleys 12(Fig. 1) and affixed to the tubular shaft 25 rotatably sleeved over theinner hollow shaft 26. The port 27 in the shaft 25 is adapted toregister with-the slot 28 in the shaft 26 to provide a suction passagefrom the interior of the shaft 26 to the suction heads 22. The end ofthe shaft 26 is connected by the pipe or hose 29 to the valve box 30which is connected by the hose 31 to the customary vacuum pump (notshown).

The valve box 30 comprises the inner chamber 37 cut out of the circularback plate 32 suitably aflixed to the feeder as shown in Fig. 2. Fittedto the plate 32 is the oscillating plate 33 which carries the rock arm34 on the stud 35 affixed to the plate 33. The plate 33 has the cut-outpassage 36 which registers with the cut out slots 37 and 38 to provide adirect connection with the hose 29 and hose 31 respectively when'therock arm 34 and plate 33 are in the full line position shown in Fig. 2.When the rock arm 34 is shifted clockwise to its dotted line positionthe cut-out passage 36 in the plate 33 registers with the slot 37 andchamber 39 which has the vent 40 to atmosphere thereby shutting off thepump from the hose 29 and breaking the suction or exhaust pressure inthe suction headsy 22. Any other type of device for intermitting thesuction derived from the usual vacuum pump in the suction heads 22 maybe employed. The present embodiment is shown because of its simplicityin structure and operation.

The hollow shaft 26 is pivotally mounted at either end on the rock arms41 affixed to the rockshaft 42 journalled in the side-frames 9 and 10(Fig. 1). Afiixed to the shaft 42 is the arm 43 carrying the cam-roller44 that coacts with the cam 45 mounted on the cam-shaft 46 which isrotated in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2) by any suitable means(not shown). The spring 47 between the rock arm 41 and any convenientxed part of the feeder (not shown) holds the cam-roller 44 on the cam 45as the latter revolves in a clockwise direction.

The outer tubular shaft 25 on which the sucker arms 24 are mountedcarries the arm 48 to which is pinned the cam-roller 49 that engages thecamslot 50 cut in the elongated oscillating bracket 51 pivoted at oneend of the stud 52.

The bracket 51 carries the depending arm 53 to which is pinned thecam-roller 54 that engages the cam 55 mounted on the cam-shaft 46 toimpart an up-and-down movement to the bracket 51 as indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 2. The collar 56 affixed to the rock-shaft 42 carries thearm 57 connected by the link 58 to rock-arm 34 to intermit the suctionas hereinbefore described in timed relation with the forward andbackward swinging movement of the suction heads 22.. The proper drivingspeed relation between the drive cam-shaft 46 that operates the suctionheads 22 and the rotating shaft 1'5 that actuates the travellingfeed-tapes 13 so that the suction heads 22 will oscillate at all timesbeneath the previously fed-off sheets is maintained by the followingmechanism: The cam-shaft 46 carries the sprocket 69 around which passesthe endless drive chain 70 engaging and driving the large sprocket 71fast to the cross-shaft 72 journalled in the sideframes 9 and 10. Theshaft 72 has also affixed thereto the small sprocket 73 around whichpasses the endless chain 74 that engages and drives the sprocket 75fastened to the feed-tape shaft 15. By this mechanism the top sheets 8are so advanced by the feed-tapes 13 and associated devices that thesuction heads 22 will be actuated at all times beneath the previouslyfed-off sheets moving to the right in Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrow.

The operation of my front-edge sheet-feeder is substantially as follows:When the combing wheel 6 and suction separator 7 have lifted to loosenand raise the rear corners of the top sheet 8 on the pile 3 as shown inFig. 2, the row of suction heads 22 on their supporting arms 24 are intheir full line sheet-engaging position with the rock-arm 4l in itsretracted position and the cam-roller 49 in the left end of the cam-slot50. the cams 45 and 55 having been set on the camshaft 46 relatively toeach other as shown in full lines in Fig. 2. The collar 56 `has alsobeen set on the rock shaft 42 so that the rock arm 34 which controls thesuction from the pump through the valve-box 30 is in its full lineposition to afford a direct exhaust pressure or suction in the suctionheads 22 arranged across the front margin of the pile 3. The sucker lips23 engage and seize the top sheet 8 and lift same slightly; then as thearm 41 swings forwardly as the rock-shaft 42 moves clockwise, thesuction heads 22 carry the front edge of the sheet 8 into the bite ofthe upraised feed-rolls 16 (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2) then therolls 16 are lowered by the cam roller 66 riding out of the drop of thecam 67 to press the front portion of the sheet against the travellingfeed-tapes 13 at which time the rock arm 34 is shifted to its dottedline position to shut off the suction from the suction heads 22 torelease the sheet 8 by venting the heads 22 to atmosphere through thevent 40.

As the rock arm 41 continues to swing forwardly with an acceleratedmovement, the suction heads 22 and hollow arms 24 are advanced beyondthe leading edge of the sheet 8 and are drawn downwardly beneath theplane of. the upper run of the'feed-tapes 13 through the downwardmovement of the bracket 51 as the camroller 49 is travelling toward theforward end of the cam-slot 50 as shown in Fig. 2. The sheet 8 is nowadvanced by the feed-tapes 13 into the bite of the second pair offeed-rolls 14 and 19 and so forwarded to the press, while the suctionheads 22 are retracted beneath the rear portion of the sheet to theirsheet-engaging position over the pile 3 for the next cycle with thefeed-rolls 16 lifted out of the Way of the retracting suction heads.Such underlapped sheets as they are fed forwardly serve to aid inadvancing the superposed sheet so that the successive sheets are carriedat an equalized rate of speed through the feeder before reaching theusual side-registering mechanisms and front gages of the press.

While the foregoing sets forth the embodiment of my invention, manychanges in the structural details may be made Without departing from theprinciples and scope of the invention or sacrificing the chiefadvantages obtainable for its use in separating and advancing successivesheets from a pile.

I claim as my invention:-

1. In a sheet-feeder, sheet-forwarding means and suction means forseparating and advancing a sheet from a pile to said forwarding means.said suction means being moved forwardly and downwardly beneath thesheet when said sheet is under control of said' forwarding means.

2. In a sheet-feeder, sheet-forwarding means, suction means forseparating and advancing a sheet from a pile having an orbital path toadvance the sheet to said forwarding means, and means to move saidsuction means forwardly and downwardly beneath the sheet when saidsheetv said forwarding means, and means to intermit the suction andlower said suction means beneath the sheet when the latter is undercontrol of said forwarding means.

4. In a sheet-feeder, sheet-forwarding means and suction means forseparating and advancing a sheet from a pile to said forwarding means,said suction means being moved forwardly and downwardly beneath thesheet after releasing said sheet when under control of said forwardingmeans.

5. In a sheet-feeder, sheet-forwarding means, suction means forseparating and advancing a sheet from a pile to said forwarding means,means to move said suction means forwardly and downwardly beneath thesheet when under control of said forwarding means, and means to retractsaid suction means to the pile while the sheet is being forwarded.

6. In a sheet-feeder, an oscillatable suction means for separating andadvancing a sheet from a pile, said means being moved forwardly anddownwardly beneath the advancing sheet during the end of its forwardstroke.

7. In a sheet-feeder, an oscillatable suction means for separating andadvancing a sheet from a pile, said means being moved forwardly anddownwardly beneath the advancing sheet during the end of its forwardstroke and retracted to the pile while the sheet is being forwarded.

8. In a sheet-feeder, feed-rolls for forwarding a sheet and anoscillatable suction means for separating and advancing a sheet from apile to said rolls, said means being moved forwardly and downwardlybeneath the advancing sheet during the end of its forward stroke.

9. In a sheet-feeder, feed-rolls for forwarding a sheet'and anoscillatable suction means for separating and advancing a sheet from apile to said rolls, said means being moved forwardly and downwardlybeneath the advancing sheet during the end of its forward stroke andretracted to the pile while the sheet is being forwarded.

10. In a sheet-feeder, coacting feed-rolls to forward a sheet one ofsaid rolls having a bodily movement away from the other, suction meansfor separating and feeding a sheet from a pile between said rolls whenseparated, means to bring said rolls into operative engagement with thesheet, and means to move said suction means forwardly and downwardlybeneath the sheet when carried by said rolls.

11. In a sheet-feeder, coacting feed-rolls to forward a sheet one ofsaid rolls having a bodily movement away from the other, suction meansfor separating and feeding a sheet from a pile between said rolls whenseparated, means to bring said rolls into operated engagement with thesheet, means to move said suction means forwardly and downwardly beneaththe sheet when carried by said rolls, and means for separating saidrolls when said suction means are retracted to the pile.

12. In a sheet-feeder, intermittently separable feed-rolls to forward asheet when said rolls are in coacting engagement therewith, and anoscillatable suction means for separating and advancing a sheet from apile to said feed-rolls, said rolls being separated when said suctionmeans is moving through the zone of said rolls.

13. In a sheet-feeder, intermittently separable feed-rolls to forward asheet when said rolls are in coacting engagement therewith, anoscillatable suction means for separating and feeding a sheet from apile to said feed-rolls, said rolls being separated when said suctionmeans is moving through the zone of said rolls, and a second pair offeed-rolls for advancing the sheet when the rst pair of feed-rolls areseparated.

14. In a sheet-feeder, a series of suction heads operating on the frontportion of a pile of sheets to separate and advance same, and means forsequentially raising, advancing and then lowering said heads all in asubstantially vertical plane beneath the advancing sheet when releasedfrom said heads.

15. In a sheet-feeder, a series of suction heads operating on the frontportion of a pile of sheets to separate and advance same,sheet-forwarding means to which the sheet is carried by said suctionheads, and means for moving said heads forwardly and. downwardly beneaththe sheet when under control of said sheet-advancing means.

16. In a sheet-feeder, a series of suction heads operating on the frontportion of a pile of sheets to separate and advance same,sheet-forwarding means to which the sheet is carried by said suctionheads, and means for moving said heads forwardly and downwardly beneaththe sheet when under control of said sheet-advancing means andretracting said heads to the pile beneath the advancing sheet.

17. In a sheet-feeder, oscillatable suction means for separating andadvancing a sheet from a pile and movable in a vertical plane to conveythe leading edge of the advancing sheet beneath the preceding fed-offsheet.

18. In a sheet-feeder, suction means for successively separating andadvancing sheets from the top of a pile in underlapped relation, saidsuction means moving at all times underneath the previously separatedsheet.

19. In a sheet-feeder, sheet forwarding means, suction means forsuccessively separating and advancing sheets from the top of a pile tosaid forwarding means in underlapped relation, said suction means movingat al1 times underneath the previously advanced sheet.

20. In a sheet-feeder, sheet forwarding means, suction means forsuccessively separating, advancing and releasing sheets from the top ofa pile to said forwardly means in underlapped relation, said suctionmeans moving at all times underneath the previously advanced andreleased sheet.

CHARLES W. HARROLD.

